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    Marketplace Safety

    Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor — buy and sell without getting burned.

    The 7 rules

    1. Meet in public. Police station parking lots, busy coffee shops, the front of a bank during business hours. Many police stations have "Safe Exchange Zones" with cameras.
    2. Bring someone with you. A friend or family member, or at least tell someone where you're going.
    3. Daytime only. Don't meet strangers at night.
    4. Cash or Zelle in person. Never wire money, send a check, or pay before seeing the item. Treat Zelle and Venmo like cash — once it's gone, it's gone.
    5. Inspect the item before paying. Phones — check the IMEI on apple.com or imei.info. Cars — get a mechanic to look. Electronics — plug in and test.
    6. Trust your gut. If something feels off — the deal is too good, the seller is rushing, the message has bad grammar — walk away.
    7. Don't give out personal info. No need for your home address or last name. First name and a meet-up location is enough.

    Top scams to watch for

    • "Just send me a Zelle for shipping" (selling) — buyer "accidentally" sends too much, asks you to refund the difference. Their original payment will reverse, leaving you out the refund money.
    • "I'll pay through Venmo Friends and Family" (buying) — Friends and Family removes buyer protection. Use Goods and Services or pay in person.
    • Cashier's check or money order — fake. Banks may take days to confirm and you're on the hook when it bounces.
    • "My agent will deliver it" — never. Always meet in person.
    • "Buy from my eBay link" (Craigslist) — fake eBay site. Real eBay never sends you to outside payment links.
    • Rental scams — listings that don't match the property, demands for first month + deposit before viewing. Drive by first.

    Buying smart

    • Reverse-image-search the photo (right-click → "Search Google for image"). If the picture is from a stock site, it's a scam.
    • Check the seller's profile age and reviews. Brand-new accounts with no friends are red flags.
    • Ask a question only the real owner could answer ("send me a photo with today's date written on a piece of paper next to the item").
    • For cars — get the VIN. Run a free Carfax check at vehiclehistory.com.

    Selling smart

    • Take photos in front of a plain background. Don't show your house number.
    • Don't list on multiple sites with the same wording — scammers copy listings.
    • Decline checks and money orders. Cash is king. Zelle in person is OK.
    • For phones and tablets — meet at a Verizon/T-Mobile/AT&T store. They'll verify the device works and isn't stolen.
    • Wipe the device first: factory reset, sign out of iCloud or Google, take it OUT of Find My before handing over.

    If something goes wrong

    • Report the listing to Facebook, Craigslist, or Nextdoor through their "Report" button.
    • File at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
    • If you lost more than $500, file a police report. They sometimes catch repeat scammers.